Amalgamator.



A. ALLEN.

AMALGAMATOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25| 191.5.

1,172,099. Patented 11.115,1916.

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A. ALLEN.

AMALGAMATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 158.25.1915.

1,172,099. Patented 11eb.15,1916.

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NT @FFTQE ACHILLES ALLEN, OF MILTON, OREGON, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD TO Til-TOMAS CROWLEY FRAZIER AND ONE-THIRD T0 ORA ESTES SMITH, BOTH OF VJIELTON, OREGON. Y

AMALGAMATOR.

License.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Falk 15, 19:16h

Application flied February 25, 1a1`5. serial no. 10,497.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, Acr-rrLLEs ALLEN, al

`ful Improvements in Amalgamators; and

I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.V

This invention relates to improvements in amalgamators especially designed for quartz mills. l

The main object of the invention is to construct a machine of this character in which every particle of the precious metal will be saved and in which there is no waste of the mercury used.

Another object of the invention is to pro-A vide an amalgamator which is simply constructed, and which may be operated without any attention or expense whatever when finely ground pulp is fed to it.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts'as will be more fully described and claimen. Y p

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l represents a side view of an amalgamator constructed in accordancewith this'invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sec'- tion thereof; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, with the funnel removed; Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 4-fl of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment illustrated, a trough l for receiving and conducting off the pulp after it has been treated is shown inthe form of an annulus mounted on suitable legs Q'and `having an 'outlet hereshown in the form of a spout. Thisl trough l is slightly inclined to cause the refuse water and pulp to run out through the spout int-o sluice boxes not shown.

Disposed centrally of the trough l is 'a mercury vat 4' here shown in the form ofa cylinder constructed of steel and having an amalgating plate 5 extending laterally from itsupperedge and inclined upwardly and outwardly toward the rim thereof. This plate is shown as circular in formation and is provided near its edge with an annular groove 6 in its upper face for a purpose to be described, and at its edge is provided with 'a downturned rim 7 for directing the pulp which flows overV said edge into the trough lbelow it, said plate beingslightly greaterin diameter than the inner diameter of the 'trough to position it in vertical alinement with said trough. This plate 5 may be of any desired size being preferably about four feet in diameter and the periphery'of which is supported by suitable braces hereinafter described. This plate 5 is preferably constructed of copper silver plated, the plating operating to prevent verdigris from rising from the copper and fouling the inercury which comes in Contact with the plate as will be hereinafter described. A dis charge cock Sis disposed at the bottom of with a plurality of legs l0 extending in longitudinal alinement with the cylinder walls and which are designed to rest on the bottom of the vat 4 and space the lower edge of said cylinderthe desired distance from said vat bottom. Disposed around the outer face of this cylinder 9 near its lower end are a plurality of spacing elements ll of uniform size which are designed to engage the inner face ofthe vat l and thus space said cylinder 9 the desired distance from the walls of the vat and afford ample space between said cylinder and vat for the upward passage of the pulp therebetween as will be hereinafter'described. This cylinder 9 is also provided on its outer face at a suitable point intermediately of its ends with laterally extending peripherally alined lugs 12 which are designed as locks for holding a second collaror plate 13 in operative position relatively to the plate 5`as will be hereinafter further described.

Suitable brace rods lli are connected at one end to the outer face of the cylinder 9 at spaced intervals around its periphery preferably near the upper end thereof and extend obliquely therefrom being provided at their lower or free ends with clips which are designed to engage the lower edge of the rim 7 of the plate 5 and thus aiiord ample support for said plate, said clips being here shown adjustably mounted on these rods by means of nuts 1G between which and other lock nuts or stops 17 the clips are mounted and by tightening the nuts 16 said clips may be caused to firmly engage the rim of the plate 5.

A pulp receiving cylinder or funnel 18 is shown mounted in the cylinder 9 having its flared mouth projecting above the upper end of the cylinder and provided at the base of said mouth with an annular shoulder 19 which is designed to rest on the upper edge of the cylinder 9 and support said funnel in operative position relatively to said cylinder. The smaller discharge end of the funnel 18 is disposed slightly above .the lower end of the cylinder 9 and said funnel is braced within the cylinder 9 by means of radially extending brace bars 20 which engage the inner walls of the cylinder. 9 and brace said funnel and space it fromsaid side walls.

Disposed within the bottom of the mercury vat 4 are a plurality of snperposed perforated annular plates 21, any desired number of which may be employed, four being here shown with the lowermost made `wider than the others and being substantially of the same size as the lower end of the cylinder 9, the other plates of the series being smaller and being connected by bolts 22 Vpassing through them and on which between said plates are mounted spacing plates or washers 23. These plates 21 are pr ferably constructed of copper silver plated, and operate to save the amalgam which gathers between them. r1`hese plates being connected by bolts may be separated when the clean-up is made and the amalgam removed from between them.

The plate 13 which is designed to cooperate with the plate 5 is made in the form of an annulus with a Collar 24 extending at right angles from its inner edge and which is designed to rest at its lower edge on the upper face of the plate 5 and space said plate 13 a distance equal to the width of th collar above said plate 5 at the central inner portions thereof where they surround the cylinder 9. This plate 13 is inclined downwardly and outwardly and is provided at its peripheral edge with an upturned flange or rim 25 to provide ay discharge mouth 26 between said plates which is arranged at'the inner edge of the groove 6 in the plate 5, said plate 13 being 'of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the plate 5 taken from the inner edge of its groove. When the parts are assembled this plate 13 cncircles the cylinder 9 below the lugs 12 on said cylinder which are designed to rest on the upper edOe of said plate 13 and in connection with clips 15 hold the plate down in operative position and prevent it from moving upwardly under the actionV of the flowing pulp. Y

rlhe collar 24 is provided with a plurality of apertures 27 saaced apart, and projecting lfrom its inner face at diametrically opposite points are laterally extending studs 2S which are designed to form stops for limiting the turning motion of a tlat ring 29 which is disposed-within the collar 24 and is provided with a plurality of apertures 30 whichare designed when said ring is turned in one direction to register with the apertures 27 in the collar 24 and when it is turned in the opposite direction these apertures are placed out of register so that there Y is no outlet then formed between the plates 5 and 18, it being obvious that these registering apertures 27 and 30 are designed as outlets to permit the pulp rising between the cylinder 9 and said collar to iiow out between the plates as will be presently described. Y

rlfhe `flat ring or collar 29 is provided in its upper edge at diametrically opposite points with recesses 31 into which the studs 28 of the collar 211 are designed to extend and the opposite ends of these recesses coact with said studs for limiting the movement of said ring in opposite directions. An operating handle 32 for the ring 29 is here shown in the formv of a rod projecting upwardly from said ring and which is designed to be grasped and operated for turns ing the ring relatively to the collar 24.

.From the above description it will be obvious that this ring 29 operates as a valve for opening and closing the discharge openings in the collar 211. Y

ln the operation of this apparatus the bottom of the vat l is covered with a quantity ofniercury suiiicient to inclose the discharge end of the cylinder 9. The pulp or slime is then fed into the mouth of the funnel 18 which is of suflicient height to give the feeding mass ample pressure to force its way through the mercury Vin the vat 4: and while so doing a portion of the mercury will Vseparate into minute particles and mingle with the slime or pulp as it boils up between the walls of the cylinder 9 and theV vat e. By this boiling action the wholemass is kept in constant agitation thereby causing the particles of precious metal contained in the pulp to come in contact with the mercury forming an amalgam. As the agitated mass is finally forced upward betweenthe cylinder `9Yand the collar21 of the plate 13, said ring 29 having been first turned to bring the openings therein into register with the openings in said collar, the boiling pulp will pass through said openings and up over t-he outer face of the plate 1S, the passage of the pulp through the openings serving to retard its progress and thereby more thoroughly agitate it and cause it to be evenly distributed over the face of the plate 5. The passage of the pulp up over the inner edge of the plate 13 also produces an additional agitation and causes the pulp to be evenly distributed over the downwardly inclined face of the plate 13. The pulp then flows over the faces of the plates 5 and 13, passes over the upturned flange of the plate 13, into the trough formed by the groove 6 of the plate 5, and any particles of mercury or amalgam which remain in the pulp are caught in said groove and returned through the pipe or tube 8 to the vat il. The mass upon passing over the rim of the plate 5 drops into the trough 1 and passes out through the spout thereof into the sluices not shown.

From the above description it will be obvious that the parts may be quickly assembled or disassembled and while simple in construction present a maximum surface for collecting the amalgam contained in the outowing pulp.

I claim as my invention:

1. An amalgamator comprising a mercury vat, a cylinder mounted therein and spaced from the side walls and bottom thereof, a pair of vertically spaced laterally extending plates mounted on the wall-of said vat and converging toward their outer edges, a wall between said plates having pulp supplying openings therein, the lower plate being wider than the upper, with its free edge extending beyond the edge of the upper plate and provided with a trough to receive the pulp discharged from said upper late.

p 2. An amalgamator comprising a mercury vat, a cylinder mounted therein and spaced from the side walls and bottom thereof, a feed supply funnel extending into said cylinder, a pair of vertically spaced laterally extending plates mounted on said vat and converging toward their outer edges, the lower plate being wider than the upper, and valved supply means arranged between said plates.

3. An amalgamator comprising a mercury vat, a cylinder mounted therein and spaced from the side walls and bottom thereof, a feed supply funnel extending into said cylinder, a pair of vertically spaced laterally extending plates mounted on said vat and converging toward their outer edges, the lower plate being wider than the upper and projecting at its outer edge beyond the outer edge of the upper plate and provided with a groove in its upper face beyond the outer edge of the upper plate, and means under the control of the operator for supplying pulp between said plates.

4l. An amalgamator comprising a mercury vat, a cylinder mounted therein and spaced from the side walls and bottom thereof, a feed supply funnel extending into said cylinder, a pair of vertically spaced laterally extending plates mounted on said vat and converging toward their outer edges, the lower plate beingvwider than the upper and projecting at its outer edge beyond the outer edge of the upper plate and provided with a groove in its upper face beyond the outer edge of the upper plate, means under the control of the operator for supplying pulp between said plates, and a pipe leading from said groove to said vat.

5. An amalgamator comprising a mercury vat, a cylinder mounted therein and spaced from the side walls and bottom thereof, a feed supply funnel extending into said cylinder, a pair of vertically spaced laterally extending plates mounted on said vat and converging toward their outer edges, a collar carried by one of said plates and arranged between them to form a closure at their inner edges, said collar having apertures therein, and an annular plate slidably mounted on said collar and having apertures therein positioned to register at predetermined intervals with the apertures in said collar.

6. An amalgamator comprising a mercury vat, a cylinder mounted therein and spaced from the side walls and bottom thereof, a feed supply funnel extending into said cylinder, a pair of vertically spaced laterally extending plates mounted on said vat and converging toward their outer edges, a collar carried by one of said plates and arranged between them to form a closure at their inner edges, said collar having apertures therein, an annular plate slidably mounted on said collar and having apertures therein positioned to register at predetermined in-' tervals with the apertures in said collar, and coperating means on said collar and plate for limiting the turning movement of the latter in opposite directions.

7. An amalgamator comprising a mercury vat, a cylinder mounted therein and spaced from the side walls and bottom thereof, a plurality of vertically spaced perforated ring like plates disposed in said mercury vat, the lowermost plate of said series being wider than the other, spacing washers disposed between said plates, and bolts adapted to pass through said plates through the spacing washers to connect the same and a funnel member on the cylinder adapted to deliver material within said series.

8. An amalgamator comprising a mercury vat, a cylinder mounted therein and spaced from the side walls and bottom thereof, a feed supply funnel extending into said cylnder, a pair of vertically spaced laterally In testimony WhereofI have hereunto set extending plates mounted on said Vat and my hand Vn presence of two subscribing Witconvergng toward their outer edges, the nesses.

lower plate being Wider than the upper, ACHILLES ALLEN.

valved supply means arranged between the Witnesses: Y

plates, and brace rods secured to said cyln- GEO. A. PRICE,

der and engaged With said lower plate. T. C. FRAZIER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

